Apple Power Macintosh G3 266 Minitower Specs
Identifiers: Power Mac G3 MT - M6142LL/A* - N/A* - M4405 - None
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The Apple Power Macintosh G3/266 Minitower, based on the compact Gossamer architecture, features a 266 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor with 512k of backside cache, 32 MB or 128 MB of RAM, a 4.0 GB or 6.0 GB hard drive, a 24X CD-ROM drive, ATI 3D Rage II+ or Rage Pro (starting May 1, 1998) graphics acceleration with 2 MB or 6 MB of VRAM, and either the "Whisper personality card" with audio input/output or the "Wings personality card" with audio/video input/output -- all packed into an easily expandable minitower case.
The Power Macintosh G3 models were the first Apple Macs to use the "third-generation" (G3) PowerPC 750 processor which also unveiled a new "backside" level 2 cache for a substantial performance boost compared to earlier systems using a "lookaside" level 2 cache.
There were at least two different "standard" configurations of the Power Macintosh G3/266 Minitower -- the original version (M6142LL/A) with 32 MB of RAM, a 6 GB IDE hard drive, 2 MB of VRAM, a Zip drive, S-video and composite video input/output ports (Wings) for US$3000, and the second version (M6459LL/A) -- added January 6, 1998 -- with 128 MB of RAM, a 4 GB Ultra/Wide SCSI hard drive, 6 MB of VRAM installed on board (and an additional 8 MB of VRAM on a 2D/3D graphics PCI card), dual display support, and both 10Base-T and 10/100Base-T Ethernet for US$4199.
Custom configuration options -- some of which were standard on the M6459LL/A configuration -- included an Ultra/Wide SCSI hard drive, an internal DVD-ROM drive, 10/100Base-T Ethernet, superior graphics, and a Firewire card, among others.
Despite the age of this system, site sponsor Other World Computing has RAM, hard drives, SSDs, and other upgrades available for this specific Mac while supplies last.
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| Introduction Date: |
November 10, 1997* |
Discontinued Date: |
August 12, 1998 |
| Details: |
The "Introduction Date" refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The "Discontinued Date" refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended.
*Second configuration (M6459LL/A) added January 8, 1998.
Also see: All Macs introduced in 1997. |
| Processors: |
1 |
Geekbench 2: |
N/A |
| Details: |
N/A These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.
You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the N/A* Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.
To dynamically compare Geekbench results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Processor Speed: |
266 MHz |
Processor Type: |
PowerPC 750 (G3) |
| Processor Upgrade: |
ZIF Socket |
FPU: |
Integrated |
| Details: |
The Power Macintosh G3 models have the processor mounted on a ZIF socket. |
| System Bus Speed: |
66 MHz |
Cache Bus Speed: |
133 MHz |
| Details: |
This system has a 133 MHz backside bus and 512k of level 2 cache. |
| ROM/Firmware Type: |
Macintosh ROM |
ROM/Firmware Size: |
4 MB |
| L1 Cache: |
64k |
L2/L3 Cache: |
512k (backside) |
| Details: |
The 512k of backside cache has a 133 MHz bus. |
| RAM Type: |
PC66 SDRAM |
Min. RAM Speed: |
10 ns |
| Details: |
Supports 10 ns PC66 168-pin SDRAM. |
| Standard RAM: |
32 MB, 128 MB |
Maximum RAM: |
768 MB* |
| Motherboard RAM: |
None |
RAM Slots: |
3 |
| Details: |
There is no performance advantage to installing memory modules in pairs. |
| Video Card: |
3D Rage II+* |
VRAM Type: |
EDO SGRAM |
| Details: |
*ATI 3D Rage II+ graphics onboard originally, upgraded to ATI Rage Pro starting May 1, 1998. The M6142LL/A configuration also has 8 MB of VRAM on a 2D/3D graphics PCI card. |
| Standard VRAM: |
2 MB, 6 MB* |
Maximum VRAM: |
6 MB* |
| Details: |
*This model has 2 MB of VRAM onboard and a single expansion slot that supports an additional 4 MB of VRAM (3.3V 83 MHz 144-pin SO-DIMM). The M6142LL/A configuration 6 MB of VRAM standard onboard and 8 MB of VRAM on a 2D/3D graphics PCI card. |
| Display Support: |
Single Display* |
Resolution Support: |
1024x768* |
| Details: |
Apple advertised that this system can support "thousands of colors at up to 1024 by 768-pixel resolution (24-bit), [and] millions of colors at up to 832 by 624-pixel resolution (32-bit), refresh rate of up to 85 Hz." It can support resolutions up to 1600x1200 with the maximum 6 MB of VRAM installed.
*The M6142LL/A configuration supports dual displays. |
| 2nd Display Support: |
None* |
2nd Max. Resolution: |
N/A |
| Details: |
*The M6142LL/A configuration supports dual displays with a pre-installed PCI card. |
| Standard Storage: |
4.0, 6.0 GB |
Std. Storage Speed: |
N/A |
| Storage Dimensions: |
3.5" (25.4 mm) |
Storage Interface: |
IDE/ATA-2 & SCSI* |
| Details: |
*Shipped standard with either a 3.5" IDE/ATA-2 hard drive or a Ultra/Wide SCSI PCI card and hard drive. It also has an internal SCSI bus (up to 5 MB/second). It is designed to hold one internal 3.5" hard drive and it has three front-facing 5.25" drive bays that also can be used by a hard drive or removable storage drives. Capacity of each hard drive drive must be smaller than 128 GB. |
| Standard Optical: |
24X CD-ROM |
Standard Disk: |
1.44 MB (Manual) |
| Details: |
24X tray-loading CD-ROM drive standard. An optional DVD-ROM drive was available by custom configuration (did not support MPEG-2 video playback without a third-party solution). An internal Zip 100 drive also was standard on the M6142LL/A configuration. |
| Standard Modem: |
56k (optional) |
Standard Ethernet: |
10Base-T* |
| Details: |
*10/100Base-T Ethernet also was available as a build-to-order option on the M6142LL/A configuration and standard on the M6459LL/A configuration. |
| Standard AirPort: |
None |
Standard Bluetooth: |
None |
| USB Ports: |
None |
Firewire Ports: |
None* |
| Details: |
*Firewire "400" available via build-to-order. |
| Expansion Slots: |
3 PCI, Personality* |
Expansion Bays: |
1 3.5", 3 5.25" |
| Details: |
*In the original default configuration (M6142LL/A), this model has three open 33 MHz PCI slots and the "personality card" slot that is occupied by a "Wings personality card" providing audio and video input/output. In the second default configuration (M6459LL/A) one 33 MHz PCI slot is open and the "personality card" slot is occupied by a "Whisper personality card" that provides audio input/output (no video).
It has one "internal" 3.5" bay (for a hard drive) and three external 5.25" bays (which can be used by hard drives and removable media drives). By default, one external 5.25" bay is free on the M6142LL/A configuration and two on the M6459LL/A configuration. |
| Incl. Keyboard: |
AppleDesign Keyboard |
Incl. Input: |
Apple ADB Mouse II |
| Case Type: |
Tower |
Form Factor: |
Power Mac G3 MT (Beige) |
| Apple Order No: |
M6142LL/A* |
Apple Subfamily: |
Power Mac G3 MT |
| Details: |
*M6142LL/A refers to the configuration with 32 MB of RAM, a 6 GB IDE hard drive, 2 MB of VRAM, a Zip drive, S-video and composite video input/output ports. M6459LL/A was assigned to the configuration added January 6, 1998 -- with 128 MB of RAM, a 4 GB Ultra/Wide SCSI hard drive, 6 MB of VRAM installed onboard (and an additional 8 MB of VRAM on a 2D/3D graphics PCI card), dual display support, and both 10Base-T and 10/100Base-T Ethernet. |
| Apple Model No: |
M4405 (EMC None) |
Model ID: |
N/A* |
| Details: |
*This model does not have a Model Identifier. Its Gestalt ID is 510.
Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model.
Also see: All Macs with the M4405 Model Number, the None EMC Number, and the N/A* Model Identifier.
For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section. |
| Battery Type: |
3.6V Lithium |
Battery Life: |
N/A |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: |
8.0 |
Maximum MacOS: |
X 10.2.8 |
| Details: |
This system cannot run versions of MacOS X more recent than 10.2.8. |
| MacOS 9 Support: |
Boot/Classic Mode |
Windows Support: |
Emulation Only |
| Details: |
All Power Macintosh G3 models are capable of booting Mac OS 9 and using Mac OS 9 applications within the Mac OS X "Classic" environment. |
| Dimensions: |
15.2 x 9.6 x 17.8 |
Avg. Weight: |
33.1 lbs. (15 kg) |
| Details: |
In inches - height by width by depth, (38.6 cm, 24.4 cm, 45.2 cm). |
| Original Price (US): |
US$3000, US$4199* |
Est. Current Retail: |
N/A |
| Details: |
*US$3000 for the original configuration (M6142LL/A) and US$4199 for the second configuration added January 8, 1998 (M6459LL/A).
Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated).
Photo Credit: Apple Computer. |
Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Power Macintosh G3 models follow.
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